Never Let You Fall
by Nyiestra
Summary: A series of drabbles looking at the slightly darker, more depressing moments for the Jump Street team. There will probably be more in the future.
1. Set 1

**Title:** Never Let You Fall

**Rating: **T

**A/N:** Ever just want to write but can't manage something with plot? That's how I've been the last couple days, soo… each 100 words on the dot. There's no real rhyme or reason, but count on most of them to be somewhat angsty or at least dealing with the darker side of their work/thoughts.

* * *

"Heineken." Hanson drops down onto the stool next to Doug, tapping his wallet on the wooden surface of the bar. "How you doing?"

"I'm doing," his partner replies shortly, his eyes never leaving the glass in front of him. A moment later, he repeats himself. "I'm doing."

"Really." It isn't a question. Tom doesn't expect a response and doesn't get one. He nods to the bartender as a bottle is set in front of him, and once the man moves off, he and Doug sit in silence, until finally Penhall breaks it.

"It's hard."

"It is."

"Never gets easier."

"Nope."

-------------------------

Dennis holds the joint up to his lips, turning his head away so his latest group of 'friends' won't realize that he doesn't actually smoke it, and in the back of his mind a thought he's pushed down a thousand times makes its presence known once more.

_How much harm could it do, huh? Look at these kids. Take a look. What're they hurting? When was the last time you felt that good?_

He buries it again, but is fully conscious of the fact that it's less than a halfhearted effort.

_What's the big deal?_

He takes a deep breath.

-------------------------

"Buy you a drink?" Judy smiles down at Fuller, who's sitting alone at a corner table way in the back. "You know what they say about drinking alone?"

"First sign of alcoholism," he replies with a smile that isn't quite genuine. "Don't know that I'm too concerned with first signs anymore, Hoffs." It's the most open and honest she thinks he's ever been with her, and she wonders if she's reading too much into it to think that he might be talking to her as a friend right now. "This job…"

She nods and signals a waitress. "I hear that."

-------------------------

"Still here? I thought I was the only one left."

Harry looks up at Blowfish. "Yeah."

"Where's everyone else?"

"They have dates."

"Penhall?"

"Date."

"Fuller?" The man looks incredulous.

Harry nods the affirmative. "Date."

"Hanson and Hoffs?"

"Dates. Together."

"No kidding?" The look on the janitor's face makes it clear he's annoyed for not seeing the signs himself.

"No kidding." Harry sighs.

After a moment, Blowfish speaks again. "So, what about your date? You got one, right?"

"Right." He taps the manila folder in front of him. "Right here. Except she's sixteen. And she's dead."

Blowfish is silent after that.

* * *

There will probably be more; review and let me know if I should write any more :) Thanks!


	2. Set 2

Just a little series of drabbles (ficlets that are exactly 100 words each). Damn these things are hard to write. I always end up at like 98 words... or 101. >mutters> Don't look for any particular theme... they're pretty much whatever came into my head at the time.

* * *

**estelswolf - **Yeah, they're mostly just little random moments. Some are sorta specific, but not _to_ anything, if you know what I mean. Most could just be anything. And they're pretty much just about character.

**Rosebud - **Thanks. :) They're fun to write, because there's no sort of plot committment :-P

**daizia - **Yep, those two were better than the first two, I think. Hopefully these next ones are even better :)

**Ghostwriter - **Thanks :)

**jwmathias - **Well, they're not really supposed to be 'whole' per se. They're just little snapshots, and have to be exactly 100 words. They're sort of meant to leave you wondering what's next. Hopefully, these next ones are a bit more 'complete' for you :)

* * *

**Set 2**

"I pulled the trigger, Hanson, and I didn't feel a thing!"

Tom raises his head and meets her eyes. "You do now."

"Not what I should." She falls silent for a moment, and when she speaks again he's taken aback by her tone of voice. "That boy is dead, and I'm not sorry."

"I'm not sure I would be, either." He can see by the look in her eyes that it's both the answer she wanted and the one she dreaded.

"What does that say about us?"

He forces a smile. "I stopped asking myself that a long time ago."

-------------------------

Doug stares at the tape outline on the floor for a moment before his eyes drift toward a framed photograph hanging on the wall. The girl whose body they just carted out of here smiles back at him in her prom dress, hanging on the arm of a bored-looking guy in a tux.

"I've… been there," he says quietly, shaking his head. For some reason, probably the sight of that empty prescription bottle, he feels compelled to say something – anything. "But I still don't get it."

Harry places a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Somehow, I don't think they do, either."

-------------------------

"You ever think about high school?"

Hoffs raises an eyebrow at Dennis. "Yeah. It's kinda hard not to."

"No, I don't mean about work and all…" He leans against a filing cabinet and folds his arms across his chest. "When you were in school? You ever think about it now?"

After a moment, she shrugs. "Sometimes, something happens that reminds me." Judy pauses. "Why?"

Booker doesn't answer directly. "Me too. And it all seems different."

"How?"

"Nothing seems so… innocent anymore, y'know?"

She smiles. "I think that's called gaining perspective."

He shakes his head slowly. "More like cynical."

"That too."

-------------------------

"I'm not really… scared anymore, coach." Tom fights to still his hands. "I don't really know what that means."

"Can be a good thing." Fuller is quiet. "It can also get people killed."

"How do I know which it is?" Hanson doesn't blink.

"You take a good, long look in a mirror," the older man replies after a long pause. "And you figure out if it's because you're willing to die for the job…" he trails off briefly, "Or if it's because you just don't care anymore."

"If it is?"

"Might be time to find a new line of work."


End file.
